The Search for the Pharoh's Hourglass
by sitting pretty with a pistol
Summary: Tomb Raider/Indiana Jones crossover. Lara Croft goes back in time to see if she can outsmart Indy. She then gets stuck back in time and must work with Indy to find the only thing that can bring her back to her own time. Indy/Lara please read
1. Chapter 1

Lara Croft climbed slowly up a cliff-side, reaching for a relic just at the top. A few inches was all she needed, and it would be hers. Without warning, her foot slipped and she fell, quickly grabbing hold of the edge. She used all her strength to push herself up, happily snatching the wrench from its place.

"Well done, Ms. Croft." Winston, her butler, had come into the room, turning off her stereo that had been blasting tunes from Black Eyed Peas. Lara smiled and jumped down from the ledge to the inflated blue mat below. Winston walked over to her, carrying an envelope. "This invitation came for you today."

"What is it for?" she asked, taking the envelope and removing the card inside.

"There is a commemorative archeological exhibit in Bristol," he said, "Showing artifacts found by someone people call the greatest treasure hunter to ever live." Lara raised an eyebrow as she read over the card.

"Indiana Jones," she said softly, "You know, I have heard of him before. I can't remember where, though."

"Did you say Indiana Jones?" Bryce had come into the room just in time to hear Lara's comment, "He was amazing back in the day! I heard he found the lost ark, the holy grail –"

"Really?" Lara looked up in surprise, "Do you think they'll have those on display?"

"Well, he didn't actually keep them," Bryce continued, "One of them is in a huge warehouse and the other one got lost."

"Shame," she said, looking down at the card, "Well, it says 'In Memory Of,' so I don't think he'll be there to explain why." Bryce looked disappointed at that fact, but after all, Indiana Jones had been around for quite a long time. Seeing the expression on his face, Lara sighed and said, "Do you want to go?"

"Yeah!" Bryce exclaimed happily, looking over her shoulder at the invitation, "It's tonight! Bristol's about two hours away, so I'm going to go get ready." He left quickly, leaving Lara and Winston staring after him.

Later that evening, Lara and Bryce found themselves walking through the Jones Exhibit, which was displaying many rare and valuable artifacts.

"No wonder I can't find some," Lara commented. She looked over at Bryce, but he had stopped a few yards back, staring at a glass case. "What's there?" Lara asked, walking over.

Inside the case was an old, beat-up fedora, whip, gun and leather holster. The plate beneath it held a description of each item, each of which had been used by the late Indiana Jones. As far as Lara was concerned, they could have been antiques, as well.

"Can you imagine meeting him," Bryce said, "Just think for a moment…if you and Indiana Jones had lived at the same time, how great a team that would be."

"I bet it would be inter-" Lara stopped mid-sentence as her eyes glazed over. It would be interesting, indeed, to see who really would be the better treasure hunter: her, or the infamous Dr. Jones. She looked at Bryce excitedly, saying, "Is your time prototype still up?"

Bryce had been naming off the different languages that the archeologist could speak when Lara interrupted him. "Yeah, it is. Why?"

"I'd like to test that little theory of yours," she said, "I would like to see how Indiana Jones and I would work together." Bryce tried to sputter out different reasons for her to not go back to see him, but Lara waved them off.

"Alright," he said, "We can do it. I'd advise you to go to around 1940 or so, after his major finds. You know, the ark and goblet and what not."

"Sure, whatever." Lara wasn't paying too close attention to what Bryce was talking about. Instead, she was thinking of how amazing it would be to see if she could beat him to something . . . anything. She looked around the hall, trying to find an artifact that would be good for her little test. As soon as Lara turned her head, she found it.

"Lara, what are you looking at?" Bryce questioned as she walked to it. Locked inside a thick glass case was an hourglass with gold supports and encrusted in jewels. Instead of sand inside of it, there were millions of tiny sapphires. Bryce was dumbfounded by the sight of it.

"The Pharaoh's Hourglass," Lara said, "It's one I tried finding…Apparently this Dr. Jones got it long before I was around. It's said to have some magical properties, mainly concerned with time travel. This is what I'll go back to him for." With that decided Lara walked back out to the valet and started home.

"Bryce," she said, driving, "I'd like you to make something so I can talk to you from 1940. Think you could make something quickly?"

Bryce thought it over for a few minutes before answering. "It could take as long as a week, or it could be done by tomorrow evening. Depends on what I still have available to work with."

"That doesn't matter," Lara responded, "I can get you whatever you need, you know that." Bryce agreed to start working on the communication device the minute they got home.

Early the next morning, Lara woke and walked down the stairs to find Winston setting a large breakfast for her. Smiling, she took a banana from the table and headed toward the pool. She swam for three hours before going to the climbing room. Lara was halfway up one of the trickier slopes when Bryce rushed in.

"Oy!" he said, "Get down here." Lara propelled herself down and unhooked herself from the straps. As she walked over, she noticed that there were circles under his eyes and that his hair was more ruffled than usual. He had apparently been up working all night. Bryce led Lara to his small trailer and showed her his newest gadget.

"This," he explained, holding up a small earpiece, "Is made so that you can wear it all the time without anyone knowing what it is. It was really difficult to figure out how to bend all this around space and time and such . . . but there you are." He smiled, feeling accomplished. "Oh," he added, picking up an old watch, "This is also for you."

Lara took the watch and looked at it, examining every inch. "What is it for?" she asked.

"The watch," Bryce said, "Was based on designs from high-fashion watches from the mid-thirties. With this, you can talk to me, but that will probably have to be in private, away from any prying ears."

Lara smiled at him and gave him a quick hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Bryce."

"Be bored out of your bloody mind, I imagine." He was smiling, though, as he went to work on perfecting his prototype.

Lara walked around his small room examining every inch of the traveling prototype. Within half an hour, Bryce announced that it was ready for travel.

"Perfect," Lara said, "Where am I going to?" Bryce had also been at work researching the history of Dr. Jones, and found the perfect time and place for Lara to show up.

"Be careful," Bryce said, "I would like to have you come back in one solid piece, you know." Lara assured him that she would be perfectly fine, and went to change into a more appropriate outfit for the party. She made sure that her weapons were securely fastened to her legs beneath the dress, and put on the watch Bryce had made. Now that she looked at it, there was a certain rustic charm to it, as the gold elegantly played off the colors in her wrist.

"Alright," she said walking back into the room, "So I go, meet Jones, tell him my proposal, and come straight back here, right?" Bryce nodded, making some last-minute checks on the machine. Lara stepped in front of the portal as it hummed to life. Waving a small good-bye to Bryce, she walked forward, hoping that it would actually work.


	2. Chapter 2

Lara walked around his small room examining every inch of the traveling prototype. Within half an hour, Bryce announced that it was ready for travel.

"Perfect," Lara said, "Where am I going to?" Bryce had also been at work researching the history of Dr. Jones, and found the perfect time and place for Lara to show up. A large party, hosted by a curator that purchased the archeologist's finds, would serve as Lara's introduction to Indiana.

"Be careful," Bryce said, "I would like to have you come back in one solid piece, you know." Lara assured him that she would be perfectly fine, and went to change into a more appropriate outfit for the party. She made sure that her weapons were securely fastened to her legs beneath the dress, and put on the watch Bryce had made. Now that she looked at it, there was a certain rustic charm to it, as the gold elegantly played off the colors in her wrist.

"Alright," she said walking back into the room, "So I go, meet Jones, tell him my proposal, and come straight back here, right?" Bryce nodded, making some last-minute checks on the machine. Lara stepped in front of the portal as it hummed to life. Waving a small good-bye to Bryce, she walked forward, hoping that it would actually work.

The scene that met Lara as she exited the portal was a rather astounding one. The main hall at Princeton was lit up against the dark night, sounds of the party floating gracefully across the lawn. Lara checked herself for anything that might give any indication she was not from this time, and walked boldly towards the front door.

The party inside was as she had predicted from its outer appearance: brightly lit, with a live band playing the soft jazzy tunes of the time, and lots of grown men and women pretending to enjoy one another's company as they sipped from their crystal glasses of champagne. Lara looked around, but doubted that Dr. Jones would be sporting his fedora and whip. For a few minutes, she merely walked around the edge of the crowd, taking a glass and sipping from it, trying to see if there was any way to tell him from the others.

Lara had not seen him, but he saw her the minute she entered the room. Indiana was talking to Brody as she walked in. Whatever he had just been explaining to Marcus fled his mind, and he couldn't help but stare as she walked through the party, picking up some champagne and drinking it so elegantly.

"Jones…Indy?" Marcus was trying to get his attention back to the conversation. Indiana looked back at Marcus and tried to resume his talk. Earlier, some English adventurer, who was a fellow archeologist, had come to Indiana asking for his help in finding some lost artifact. Indy had just been explaining the proposal to Brody, but now could not pull his entire attention to the conversation.

"Excuse me a moment, Marcus." Indiana stepped away from his friend politely and made his way over to the young lady, who was now standing at the far edge of the room. Indy smiled as he approached her and was about to introduce himself as she spoke.

"Dr. Jones?" Lara asked, knowing that it must be him. Indy nodded, and she continued, "Hello, my name is Lara. I've come to make a proposal to you."

Indiana's thoughts perked up, and he held out his hand to hers, kissing it lightly. "Well, Ms. Lara, I'd have to know what exactly your proposal is before I agree to anything."

"I would like you to come with me in search of an Egyptian artifact known as the Pharaoh's Hourglass. Supposedly, it has-"

"Mystical qualities concerning the travel of time," Indiana interrupted, nodding his head. This was interesting: two people come to see him about the same artifact within hours of each other. "So tell me about your friend, Vincent. He came asking about that, too."

Lara was in disbelief. Vincent had been here? And it seemed as though he was also determined to get the Hourglass, but Lara was sure he had different reasons behind it. "Dr. Jones, I honestly did not know that he had come to see you about this. Trust me, his intentions are no good, and he will use it to whatever advantage he may find."

Indiana listened to Lara's argument intently. Looking around at the guests, he said, "I think we should discuss this elsewhere, so we're not overheard." He led Lara out of the main hall and down towards his office. For a few minutes, they were both silent, and Indy contemplated which proposal he should go with. Both seemed honest enough at the time, but he did not want to make a bad decision that could lead, yet again, to the near-destruction of mankind.

"Here we are," he said, unlocking the door. The sounds of the party could still be heard. Indy held the door open for Lara, and shut it after following her in. He opened the door to his inner office and gasped in surprise. His office had been ransacked completely. Papers fluttered about from the slight breeze coming in through the open window. Indiana walked around, looking for what had gone missing. It seemed as though nothing had been taken; only searched through.

"Dr. Jones," Lara began after a few moments, "Did you happen to come in here after your talk with Vincent?" She was sure that the office had been searched for the Hourglass, and that Vincent only approached Indy after he was unable to find it.

Indiana shook his head no, saying, "Is your friend fond of rifling through college professors' offices like this?"

"Friend is a relative term Dr. Jones," she stated simply, "But yes, he is quite fond of his roundabout ways." In the hour or so that followed, Lara had convinced Indy to accompany her on the trip to find the Pharaoh's Hourglass. As they came to an agreement, screams and gunshots were heard from the main hall.

Indiana reached the hall first, only to find a healthy swarm of Nazi soldiers battering their way into the room. Lara kicked off her heels and grabbed the guns from under her dress, firing away at the nearest Nazis. There was no doubt in her mind that Vincent had hired them to persuade Indy into finding the Hourglass.

The entire hall had emptied by the time Lara and Indy were finished with the Nazis. Lara had finished them off with quick, rapid shots from her guns, where Indiana fought most of them off hand-to-hand, as he did not have his Webley on hand. Only one other person remained once they had taken care of the Nazis. Marcus rose sheepishly from behind one of the refreshment tables, looking about to make sure no one else would suddenly attack.

Indy threw a half-smile in Lara's direction and went to help Marcus up. As he walked over, Bryce's voice came unexpectedly in her ear. Making sure they didn't see her, Lara walked to a vacant entry way, answering Bryce.

"Lara," he said, "We've got a little bit of a problem." Her eyes grew wide in shock as Bryce explained how the prototype had crashed just after she went back to find Indy. The only chance she had of getting back to her own time was by finding the Pharaoh's Hourglass.

"Alright, Bryce," she said, attempting to calm them both down, "I'll just explain to Dr. Jones that my situation has drastically changed and that I need to stay with him for a while."

"By the way," Bryce said, "What's he like? Is he amazing?" Lara smiled at the wall, knowing that her friend was too much of a fan to stay worried for very long.

"He's very polite," she said, "And I bet he fancies himself a ladies' man. Other than that, he is very knowledgeable and to the point." She hung up with Bryce, and then made her way back to the hall to make some attempt at explaining what needed to be done.


End file.
